- 1995-1997 Home Jersey
- Players: Peacock, Rob Lee, Ginola
- Brand: Adidas
- Sponsor: Newcastle Brown Ale
In the 1995-96 season, Newcastle United, backed by Sir John Hall's significant financial investments, spent around £16 million on players including Les Ferdinand, David Ginola, Warren Barton, and Shaka Hislop. This spending spree allowed Kevin Keegan's team to start the season strongly. In February 1996, Newcastle further strengthened their squad by signing Colombian striker Faustino Asprilla and England midfielder David Batty for a combined £11 million. Newcastle dominated the Premier League from the start, leading the table from August until mid-March. By Christmas, they had a 10-point lead over Manchester United, which extended to 12 points by January 20, 1996, with 15 matches remaining. However, Manchester United, boosted by Eric Cantona's return from suspension, surged in form. Despite a spirited 2-1 victory at Middlesbrough inspired by Asprilla, Newcastle's form faltered, losing five of their next eight matches. Crucial points were dropped in away games against West Ham and Manchester City. A 1-0 home defeat to Manchester United on March 4 ended Newcastle's perfect home record and reduced their lead to a single point. Subsequent defeats to Arsenal, Liverpool, and Blackburn Rovers allowed Manchester United to overtake them.
The title race heated up with Ferguson's mind games, leading to Keegan's famous rant on Sky Sports on April 29, 1996, after Newcastle's 1-0 win at Leeds United. A 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest left Newcastle needing to beat Tottenham Hotspur and hoping for a Manchester United loss to Middlesbrough to win the title. Ultimately, Newcastle's 1-1 draw was moot as Manchester United secured a 3-0 victory over Middlesbrough, winning the league by four points. Despite the disappointment, Newcastle's second-place finish was their highest in 69 years.
After finishing as runners-up to Manchester United the previous season, despite having a 12-point lead, Newcastle United bolstered their squad by signing Alan Shearer from Blackburn Rovers in July 1996. Shearer would become the club's all-time leading goalscorer, though his debut was disappointing, as Newcastle lost 4–0 to Manchester United in the 1996 FA Charity Shield. The team started the league season strongly, winning seven of their first eight matches, including a notable 5–0 victory over Manchester United. However, a poor run of seven winless games led to manager Kevin Keegan's resignation in January 1997.Kenny Dalglish took over as manager but faced challenges, including a 4–3 defeat at Anfield. Despite this, Newcastle surged in the season's final weeks, securing key victories, including a crucial win at Highbury and a 5–0 thrashing of Nottingham Forest on the last day, which allowed them to finish as runners-up again to Manchester United and qualify for the Champions League. In cup competitions, Newcastle had a mixed performance, being eliminated in the fourth round of the League Cup by local rivals Middlesbrough and losing in the FA Cup to Ian Woan's late goals. However, they reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup, where they were defeated 4–0 on aggregate by AS Monaco.
